China is outfitting its controversial artificial islands in the South China Sea with warplane hangars and weapons, the Pentagon said in a report released Tuesday.

According to the report, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force intends to base three regiments of warplanes there.

“Although its land reclamation and artificial islands do not strengthen China’s territorial claims as a legal matter or create any new territorial sea entitlements, China will be able to use its reclaimed features as persistent civil-military bases to enhance its presence in the South China Sea and improve China’s ability to control the features and nearby maritime space,” the report stated.